Aikawa, Kanagawa
Encyclopedia
is a town
located in Aikō District
, Kanagawa Prefecture
, Japan
. As of February 1, 2010, the town had an estimated population
of 41,513 and a density
of 1,210 persons per km². The total area was 34.29 km².
. The Nakatsu River, a tributary of the Sagami River
, flows through. A portion of the Tanzawa Mountains
can be found in the western part of the town. Miyagase Dam
, a major source of hydroelectric power, is situated on the Nakatsu River. The highest mountain in Aikawa is Mount Takatori.
, the Battle of Mimasetoge
between the forces of Takeda Shingen
and the late Hōjō clan
occurred on what is now Aikawa Town. During the Edo period
, the area was tenryō territory under direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate
. After the Meiji Restoration
, in the cadastral reorganization for 1889, Aikawa village was founded on April 4, 1889. It was elevated to town status on April 1, 1940. On January 15, 1955 it merged with neighboring Takamine Village and on September 30, 1956 with neighboring Nakatsu Village. Industrial development began in 1966.
has a factory in Aikawa, as does Asahi Glass Co.
, NHK Spring Company
, Merck Pharmaceuticals
and Mitsubishi Motors
. The town also serves as a bedroom community for neighboring Sagamihara
and Atsugi
.
highway, but has no rail connections.
Towns of Japan
A town is a local administrative unit in Japan. It is a local public body along with prefecture , city , and village...
located in Aikō District
Aiko District, Kanagawa
is an administrative district of Japan located in central Kanagawa Prefecture. It currently consists of only one town, Aikawa, and one village, Kiyokawa.-History:...
, Kanagawa Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. As of February 1, 2010, the town had an estimated population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 41,513 and a density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 1,210 persons per km². The total area was 34.29 km².
Geography
Aikawa is located in the foothills of northern Kanagawa PrefectureKanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
. The Nakatsu River, a tributary of the Sagami River
Sagami River
The is a river in Kanagawa and Yamanashi Prefectures on the island of Honshū, Japan.The upper reaches of the river in Yamanashi prefecture are also sometimes known as the , and the portion near the river mouth as the...
, flows through. A portion of the Tanzawa Mountains
Tanzawa
are mountain range in the Kantō region, in Japan. It covers the northwestern part of Kanagawa Prefecture and touches the prefectural borders of Shizuoka Prefecture to the west and the Yamanashi Prefecture to the north.-Mountains:...
can be found in the western part of the town. Miyagase Dam
Miyagase Dam
The is a dam on the Nakatsu River, a main tributary of the Sagami River in Aikō District, Kanagawa Prefecture on the island of Honshū, Japan. It straddles the border between the village of Kiyokawa, town of Aikawa and the former town of Tsukui The is a dam on the Nakatsu River, a main tributary...
, a major source of hydroelectric power, is situated on the Nakatsu River. The highest mountain in Aikawa is Mount Takatori.
Neighboring municipalities
- sagamiharaSagamihara, Kanagawais a city located in north central Kanagawa Prefecture, bordering Tokyo, Japan. It is the third most populous city in the prefecture, after Yokohama and Kawasaki, and the fifth most populous suburb of Greater Tokyo. Its northern neighbor is Machida, with which a cross-prefectural merger has been...
- AtsugiAtsugi, Kanagawais a city located in central Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 225,622 and a population density of 2,410 persons per km². The total area was 93.83 km²...
- KiyokawaKiyokawa, Kanagawais a village located in Aikō District, Kanagawa, Japan. As of 2010, the village had an estimated population of 3,556and a density of 49.9 persons per km². The total area is 71.29 km².-Geography:...
History
During the Sengoku periodSengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
, the Battle of Mimasetoge
Battle of Mimasetoge
The battle of Mimasetōge took place in 1569, as the forces of Takeda Shingen withdrew from repeated failed sieges of the Hōjō clan's Odawara Castle in the Kanagawa Prefecture of Japan. The Hōjō forces, led by the brothers Ujiteru and Ujikuni, laid in wait for him in the pass of Mimase...
between the forces of Takeda Shingen
Takeda Shingen
, of Kai Province, was a preeminent daimyo in feudal Japan with exceptional military prestige in the late stage of the Sengoku period.-Name:Shingen was called "Tarō" or "Katsuchiyo" during his childhood...
and the late Hōjō clan
Late Hojo clan
The ' was one of the most powerful warrior clans in Japan in the Sengoku period and held domains primarily in the Kantō region.The clan is traditionally reckoned to be started by Ise Shinkurō, who came from a branch of the prestigious Ise clan, a family in the direct employment of the Ashikaga...
occurred on what is now Aikawa Town. During the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, the area was tenryō territory under direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
. After the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, in the cadastral reorganization for 1889, Aikawa village was founded on April 4, 1889. It was elevated to town status on April 1, 1940. On January 15, 1955 it merged with neighboring Takamine Village and on September 30, 1956 with neighboring Nakatsu Village. Industrial development began in 1966.
Economy
Aikawa has a mixed economy, supported by agriculture and light/precision industries. Makino Milling MachinesMakino
Makino is a global machine tool manufacturer.-History:Makino was established in 1937 by Tsunezo Makino in Japan, developing Japan's first numerically controlled milling machine in 1958 and Japan's first machining center in 1966....
has a factory in Aikawa, as does Asahi Glass Co.
Asahi Glass Co.
is a Japanese manufacturing company. It is one of the core Mitsubishi companies.Founded in 1907 by Toshiya Iwasaki, the second son of the second president of the original Mitsubishi Zaibatsu. It was the first Japanese producer of sheet glass. Asahi Glass Co...
, NHK Spring Company
NHK Spring Company
, commonly called as , is regarded as one of the world's leading spring manufacturers in Yokohama, Japan. NHK also makes seats for automobiles, and suspension systems for disk read-and-write heads for hard-disk drives...
, Merck Pharmaceuticals
Merck & Co.
Merck & Co., Inc. , also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD outside the United States and Canada, is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. The Merck headquarters is located in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, an unincorporated area in Readington Township...
and Mitsubishi Motors
Mitsubishi Motors
is a multinational automaker headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. In 2009 it was the fifth-largest Japan-based automaker and the 17th-largest in the world measured by production...
. The town also serves as a bedroom community for neighboring Sagamihara
Sagamihara, Kanagawa
is a city located in north central Kanagawa Prefecture, bordering Tokyo, Japan. It is the third most populous city in the prefecture, after Yokohama and Kawasaki, and the fifth most populous suburb of Greater Tokyo. Its northern neighbor is Machida, with which a cross-prefectural merger has been...
and Atsugi
Atsugi, Kanagawa
is a city located in central Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 225,622 and a population density of 2,410 persons per km². The total area was 93.83 km²...
.
Transportation
Aikawa is served by Japan National Route 412Route 412 (Japan)
National Route 412 is a national highway of Japan connecting Hiratsuka, Kanagawa and Sagamihara, Kanagawa in Japan, with a total length of 48.6 km ....
highway, but has no rail connections.
Noted people from Aikawa
- Takanori GomiTakanori Gomi, is a Japanese mixed martial artist currently fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Gomi is a former Shooto Welterweight Champion and was the last and only Pride Lightweight Champion. He is also a four-time All Japan Combat Wrestling champion. During his time in Pride he was considered...
- martial artist - Daisuke WatanabeDaisuke Watanabe (actor)is a Japanese actor. He is best known for his role as Kunimitsu Tezuka of the fourth generation Seigaku cast in The Prince of Tennis musical series, Tenimyu.- Movie :*Ultraman Mebius & Ultraman Brothers as George Ikaruga...
- actor - HiroyaHiroyaHiroya is a Japanese kickboxer fighting in K-1. He made his K-1 debut at the K-1 World MAX 2007 Japan Tournament in one of the opening fights as the youngest contestant at the age of 15 on February 5, 2007. Hiroya achieved the final as the favourite fighter of the event...
- professional kick-boxer - Murray SayleMurray SayleMurray William Sayle OAM was an Australian journalist, novelist and adventurer.A native of Sydney, Sayle moved to London in 1952. He was a foreign correspondent for The Sunday Times in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
- journalist
External links
- Official website in Japanese